Appearance of bore-out symptoms at work: what to do?

Bore-out is part of work-related psychological disorders, just like brown-out and burn-out. If it also refers to a situation of burnout, its main cause is clearly distinct. The exhaustion associated with bore-out occurs through boredom. This pathology of work is then manifested by symptoms different from those of burn-out, and that some wrongly underestimate. It is important that the employer knows how to recognize these, in order to counter them through an appropriate approach.

Bore-out: when boredom accumulates, unease sets in

As in the case of burnout and brown-out, burnout is the major manifestation of bore-out. In his book The Bore-out syndrom, published by Albin Michel in 2016, Christian Bourion indicates that it affects about 30% of workers and is the cause of significant suffering. But before the situation evolves to such a stage, circumstances that are favorable to a loss of enthusiasm among the employee are put in place.

• The employee has qualifications higher than those required for the tasks assigned to them on a daily basis within the company.
• The employer entrusts little work to the employee; The latter too often finds themselves having free time, without knowing how to keep busy.
• The worker regularly performs identical tasks, under conditions that never change. He has no challenges.
• The work takes place in a non-rewarding environment, with no possible professional development.

When such circumstances persist, the discomfort gradually sets in and impacts the employee’s quality of life. They find themselves demotivated and gradually loses their desire to work, any professional fulfillment vanishing at the same time. The problem must then be taken care of immediately, both for the good of the employee and for the stability of the company. In the position of employer, taking measures to specifically treat psychological discomfort improves the image of his company and retains Their employees. For this reason, some attention should be paid to the first signs of bore-out as soon as they are observed.

Symptoms of bore-out in business

Bore-out is an exhaustion syndrome comparable to burnout. For the latter, however, the consequences on the mind and health are usually linked abruptly and quickly. Conversely, bore-out or boredom overload at work gives a multitude of slow signals before reaching depression, deep physical or moral fatigue, or a destruction of self-confidence.

The first manifestations of bore-out

The development of burnout syndrome through boredom begins with signs that only the employee can easily detect. These first elements nevertheless put the chip in the ear of the hierarchical superior too, if they notice certain changes of attitude in their employee.

For example, an employee who does not enjoy working is likely to suffer a bore-out. The employee realizes this by conducting a simple introspective reflection. The employer, on the other hand, will realize this by observing that the employee is always in a sullen mood, leaves work earlier than usual or frequently arrives late and without hurry, or performs their tasks with a certain slowness. An employee who constantly denigrates themselves, puts little rigor in the conduct of their missions and / or spends a lot of time on futile activities unrelated to their work, is also potentially on the way to a bore-out. If detected early, training to learn how to manage working time or develop the technical skills of the teams helps to stem the problem.

When these signs are neglected, while the conditions that gave rise to them remain, exhaustion inevitably sets in. Much more alarming symptoms will then be noticeable.

Bore out: the symptoms of a deep-seated unease

The evolution of bore-out to a more serious stage consists in an intensification of the worker’s unease. In addition to the negative feelings they have about their work environment, they see many changes in their life, both morally and in terms of their physical health.

Obvious signs of depression are seen in employees with bore-out syndrome. Feeling constantly devalued or of little use, they lose awareness of their skills and are overcome by doubt. Paradoxically, even though the absence of challenge is one of the factors favoring the occurrence of bore-out, when this occupational pathology is at an advanced stage, the employee who undergoes it develops a feeling of incapacity vis-à-vis any new challenge to which they are subjected. Even the most obvious tasks will seem insurmountable at times. Their productivity and that of the company are significantly affected.

At the physical level, multifaceted discomforts arise from a serious bore-out situation. Constant anxiety and permanent fatigue are among the first physical symptoms of boreout. In some cases, gastric disorders also occur, as well as chronic insomnia.

Several other psychological and physical symptoms are triggered by bore-out. They lead to a real weakening of the employee’s well-being and quality of life, and to a regression in the company’s results. To successfully manage the performance of your business, burnout through boredom must be managed carefully, to the same extent as other psychosocial risks.

How to respond to bore-out symptoms: talk and take stock

The causes of bore-out vary greatly from a person to another. In addition, it may seem embarrassing or frowned upon to admit that you are bored at work. These two factors have long contributed to creating a certain taboo around the subject. In recent years, however, in the wake of burnout, more and more people feel free to talk about bore-out. Although not yet recognized as an occupational disease in France, boredom burnout is no longer an isolated or unknown phenomenon.

Faced with bore-out, it is essential to know how to express your feelings. Communication is a crucial step in getting out of burnout. If the sick employee is not aware of it, their employer draws their attention to the issue and invites them to open up to dialogue. The employee must then start by getting rid of any feelings of guilt that come from being bored with their work. In this sense, they can, for example, go to a trusted platform of employee reviews to discover the testimonials of other employees who have had a similar experience in the same company or with other brands.

As spaces for free expression, employee review platforms allow workers to talk about their experience within a company without any evasive language. For the manager, the use of such a platform serves to build confidence among their employees, while projecting a positive brand image to future recruits.

Discussions with colleagues or team leader will also help employees determine the most appropriate solutions for their situation. This phase of awareness is liberating for a person going through a bore-out period.

Actions to eliminate bore-out

By taking stock of the professional boredom they are experiencing, the employee understands the causes of the bore-out. They will then more easily, with the approval of their colleagues or superiors, adhere to useful decisions so that they recovers full professional development.

The change of pole

A worker who is bored on a daily basis sometimes needs to use his skills differently. To treat the bore-out, it would be interesting to assign them to another workstation or to entrust them with additional tasks.

New projects

Sometimes boredom exhaustion is caused by monotonous daily tasks or tasks that became easy through repetition. To help the employee get out of the bore-out, consider subjecting them to new challenges (creation of a new concept, higher performance requirements, etc.).

Activities outside of work

Activities outside the company can cause a bored-out employee to regain the desire to work. They take the form of meetings organized in an original setting, group outings, etc. An employer who gets into the habit of motivating their team with a company party or organizing other types of incentive events will prevent various psychosocial risks, including exhaustion by boredom at work.

Skills development

Whether they aim to develop transversal skills or technical skills related to the company’s activities, training is motivating for employees. An employee who experiences a bore-out situation will regain momentum if they engage in a training project.